Abduction (2)

How could this be happening? I screamed internally over and over again.

Cane opened the door without a hint of hesitation and walked out. I tried to glance at the door as it swung open, but before I could catch a proper look, it closed again.

Next to where the chair had been, there was a plain wooden door typical of a family home. My eyes, adjusted to the dimness, scanned the corners of the room. I felt on the verge of tears, and my eyelids grew heavy with moisture. The room held nothing special; the bed I was tied to was just an ordinary one covered in a white blanket. The headboard was also made of a well-finished mixed wood, with a clean white paint job.

The room was bare—just a table with a lamp beside the bed and a sink in the corner. Two doors led out: the one Cane had just exited and a small iron door whose purpose was unclear.

I looked at the chains binding my wrist more closely, but there was nothing remarkable about them.

I began to organize my thoughts to avoid falling into despair.

My seemingly futile resistance had yielded some insight after all.

‘Cane and Theo don’t get along well!’

This was a significant discovery. Neither Theo nor Noel had ever shown displeasure when the other personality was mentioned while they were in control. However, Cane had reacted with palpable annoyance when I tried to bring up Theo.

This detail hinted at a fracture in their relationship, a power struggle that could be exploited. If I could understand how these personalities interacted, perhaps I could find a way to manipulate the situation in my favor. The realization sparked a flicker of hope amidst my fear.

This indicates that Cane does not share the same symbiotic relationship with Theo and Noel, who had been more like co-conspirators, almost inseparable allies. What position does Cane occupy about Theo’s body? I felt a mix of fear and terror, alongside a creeping curiosity and desire as a physician.

Damn this profession. Even in such a terrible situation, I find myself thinking this way-it’s absurd.

Why would Theo do such a stupid thing?

The Theo I knew was a very cold and calculating man. He was acutely aware of his uniqueness, to the point of obsession, and was intelligent enough to control it perfectly. Could intelligence even begin to describe him? He was cunning and wise enough to leverage his condition to achieve his goals.

Under Theo’s control, Noel had never put him in a difficult position. Instead, he was the ideal business partner. While Theo was cold and precise, Noel was fluid and had an exceptional sense of humor. He was sweet and gentle.

Yet, it was Theo I loved, not Noel. To explain what drew me to Theo would require far too much detail. Above all, he was the man who completely transformed my values. Before meeting Theo, my approach to patients was merely whether they were treatable or not; there were no personal feelings involved.

Theo was distinctly different from others.

He viewed himself not as a mental patient but as someone exploring a different realm. He excelled at objectively analyzing himself. Likewise, he meticulously observed others, skillfully drawing out their responses to create situations that aligned with his desires.

The fact that Theo allowed such a crime to occur was astonishing. He had always despised criminals who couldn’t properly control their various personalities. Since childhood, he had been deeply interested in dissociative identity disorder—after all, he was a case of it. Through countless books and various treatment methods, he had decided to coexist with Noel.

‘Noel? He’s a being I can fully control. In fact, without him, my life might have been dull. Life is interesting precisely because it isn’t always peaceful.’

Those words of Theo, long forgotten – or perhaps long wished to be forgotten – suddenly resurfaced in my mind. Were they still valid? Was the third personality, Cane, also perfectly controlled under Theo’s command?

If not, what would happen to me?

I realized, almost subconsciously, that I held a strange belief: if Theo could control this situation, then my safety would also be assured. The irony was that even if Theo were a normal person without multiple personalities, this situation was dangerously suspicious of his original character.

The room, lacking even a single window, was engulfed in darkness aside from the light from the bulb. I had no way of knowing what time it was or how many days had passed since I lost consciousness. I was dressed in a strange white T-shirt and white shorts instead of my usual work attire. I was certain I had been wearing a plain cotton dress before…

Feeling the emptiness of the shorts, I checked and found that I wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“What a madman.”

An obscenity slipped out of my mouth reflexively. Given Theo’s meticulous nature, it seemed unlikely that someone else had arranged this kidnapping. With the emergence of a third personality, Cane, he probably felt he already had two partners and didn’t see the need to bring in an outsider.

This meant that one of the three—Cane, Noel, or Theo—had changed my clothes. While I hadn’t slept with Theo, that issue was entirely different. The cowardice and sneakiness of undressing me while I was asleep was infuriating.

What could Theo possibly want from me while keeping me in this state?

A wave of unease washed over me as I began to examine my surroundings. Aside from the strange change in my clothing, I found no other peculiarities. I did, however, realize that I was quite hungry. No, I was very hungry. It seemed I had been unconscious for longer than I initially thought.

I had to admit that my sense of urgency had diminished.

The man, Cane, was terrifying enough to make my hands tremble, but ultimately, Theo was the one in control of the body; he was the leader of the personalities. I reasoned that if I could manage to talk to Theo when he was present, I could get any answers I needed. He was incredibly articulate.

I smelled the blanket, which had a pleasant scent of fabric softener. I turned the light on and off a few times, and eventually, I drifted off to sleep. When I regained consciousness, I noticed that someone was watching me.

Instead of creeping out from a dark corner, he had been sitting right next to me in a chair, keeping a slight distance while gazing intently. I blinked in surprise, trying to gauge my response.

After so long, I didn’t know how to react. More than anything, the situation felt strange.

It wasn’t exactly the right moment for casual pleasantries, but somehow, it felt like a good sign for me. This man wasn’t Cane.

“How have you been, Yuel? You still look beautiful,” he said, smiling gently.

His hair, unlike Cane’s long black locks that hung down to his eyebrows, was styled softly, parted to the sides, creating a gentle impression.

I had always felt a certain wonder whenever I encountered Noel. He was so different from Theo. Where Theo exuded a cold and calculating demeanor, Noel transformed that into something entirely warm and inviting, like sweet candy melting in my mouth.

What was Cane wearing? In my panic, I couldn’t recall what the man had looked like just moments ago.

Noel wore a light blue shirt and pale beige pants, giving off a refreshing vibe—almost as if he were someone completely unrelated to this horrific kidnapping. And the way he said, How have you been? Felt like a casual greeting you might give while walking a dog and running into someone unexpectedly.

“Noel…”

“I’ve missed you so much. I wanted to see you, but Theo kept stopping me every time.”

His face fell, looking genuinely concerned as he looked at me. I let out a deep sigh.

“What the hell is going on? I know you’ve kidnapped me.”

I felt an unexpected sense of relief as if I had just run into an old friend. Noel was kind and gentle, and in this completely unfamiliar place, encountering someone I knew brought a wave of comfort.

Now, I just needed to understand the situation clearly, figure out how to escape, and either persuade Noel or confront Theo. Noel and Theo felt far more familiar to me than this stranger, Cane. After nearly four years of counseling and sharing love, they were my anchors.

“Kidnapping… it isn’t like us, is it?”

Noel smiled softly. His carefree smile made me scoff in disbelief.

“What on earth happened?”

“Honestly, figuring out what’s happening to you is your job, Yuel.”

“…Don’t joke like that.”

“I’m not joking, Yuel. I’m just as afraid of Cane as I am of Theo. I have no idea what Theo is thinking. Maybe he’s gone crazy because of you.”

As he continued with his playful tone, I struggled to discern how much of what he said was sincere.

“Why would Theo be going crazy because of me?”

“Don’t you know?”

“…”

Theo wasn’t someone who could lose his mind. He was endlessly rational and intelligent, and there were times when he’d tease me, making it clear just how clever he was. The idea that such a man could go crazy? No, he was the type to manipulate even that kind of breakdown to his advantage.

“I see you don’t believe me. You were more significant to Theo than you might think. Yet you left him.”

“It was a mutual decision.”

“…You are still so calm and collected, Yuel.”